Joshua Norton was born in England in 1818 and then raised in South Africa. When he was 28, he emigrated to the U.S., eventually ending up in San Francisco, where he became a respected figure in business circles. Joshua was an entrepreneur who was engaged in...
Exploring the various definitions of community Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting an activity that helps participants gain a deeper understanding of the many different meanings associated with the term community. Participants...
Helpful phrases and strategies for participating in group discussions Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting an activity that helps participants develop strategies that enable them to share their thoughts in a group discussion with...
Ellen (Curtis) Demorest was born in New York in 1824. Since her father owned a hat factory, Ellen naturally found her way to a career in the fashion industry. At the age of 18, she set up her own hat shop in Saratoga Springs, New York. Eventually she moved the shop...
Exploring choices around sharing our identities Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting a fun activity that helps participants reflect on their identity. This activity encourages participants to think about which parts of their identity...
Located in Harlem, the Club Deluxe was an intimate supper club owned by Jack Johnson, the first African American to be the heavyweight boxing champ. He sold the club to a gangster, Owney Madden, who renamed it the “Cotton Club.” Madden’s primary purpose in buying...
Using play to unleash new ways of thinking Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting a fun activity that helps participants suspend their seriousness and analytical thinking. Participants are encouraged to play with ideas, using their...
He was born into poverty in 1926 in New York City to an Italian immigrant father and a mother who was born in the U.S. soon after her parents immigrated. When he could go to school, he studied art and music, but he never did complete high school. At age 18, he was...
Playing with words to spark ideas Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting an activity that helps participants practice innovative thinking. It encourages participants to move beyond the constraints of their current ideas or thinking...
He grew up in an all-white community in South Dakota. When he was 11 years old, he met his first person of another race. His father had developed his ability to appreciate everyone, and that meeting became a pivotal moment in his life. Studying at LSU in the Jim...
